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September 2, 2015

Do Young People really have “Power” to Effect a Change?

Panel Discussion at the main conference. Photo by: WHS

I am currently in Doha, Qatar attending the Global Youth Consultation to draft an actionable position paper on what young people think and can do to help with humanitarian issues. Doha is a beautiful city, I think they are living the future waiting for. Well… if you do not agree, you can travel here and see for yourself. I will will be writing my first travel blog post soon.

Let me get straight to the point of this blog post, I have joined several breakout sessions at this event and young people have been very positive and suggestive to what needs to be done and how they can make things work better. Lots of drafting is ongoing and when done will be presented to the right agencies and stakeholders to read and decide to either implement or not (because the power to implement is not with us young people). Do young people really have the power to implement what they suggest or can young people “force” the appropriate implementing bodies to put their words into action?

Some participants at the Global Youth Consultation. Photo by: WHS

I asked the questions above during one of the breakout sessions (How can Young People Ensure that International Humanitarian response is Tailored to local context at the consultation) here in Doha and I got eye browsed raised at me as young people in the room felt they had power to effect change and that world leaders listen to the them when they talk. I will like to state that, young people have limited power to effect change especially how funds are spent and what it should be spent on with regards to humanitarian issues.

Until young people own resources, we can only suggest to donors the effective ways of spending their funds, but we can’t “force” donors to agree to our suggestion (this is the power we need to have as young people). We have power to create effective awareness through offline and online channels. Donors decide on what to use their money for and world leaders decide what issues to focus their attention on.

We need to figure out how to fix the reality, that is, how do we influence actions to be implemented beyond social media, offline advocacy and presenting of position papers? What can me do beyond participating in international meetings? We have power, but it is limited!

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: Global Youth Consultation, World Humanitarian Summit, Youth Power

August 19, 2015

Applications Open to Win $50,000 at the Village Capital and Gearbox Hardware Accelerator Program

Nairobi – August 13, 2015 – We are excited to announce the launch of our first Hardware accelerator in Africa, in partnership with Gearbox, a unique space for inventors to build and showcase innovative ideas in East Africa. With support from The Lemelson Foundation, The Doen Foundation, SGII, and VC4Africa, Village Capital and Gearbox will provide unique capacity building to African Entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses.

12 high-potential invention-based ventures will be selected to participate and will receive extensive feedback from their peers, potential customers, investors and industry experts, as well as the opportunity to peer-select two participating ventures to receive $50,000 each in pre-committed investment. The program is structured as three intensive 4-day sessions over 3 months with additional remote collaboration online between sessions.

There is no cost to apply and no program fee for chosen enterprises. We do not take equity up front for participation. The application deadline is September 7th, but early applicants will receive more attention from our selection panel.

We are especially interested in companies seeking to improve access to energy for all or provide increased agricultural productivity for small-holder farmers. Examples include:

Affordability: inventions that radically increase affordability of energy generation or agricultural products.
Reduced Consumption: innovations that reduce the cost of consumption for small-holder farmers
Efficiency: technologies that increase the efficiency of energy and/or agricultural distribution systems.

Program Dates:
Session 1: October 21-24; Nairobi, Kenya
Session 2: January 6-9; TBD
Session 3: February 22-25; Nairobi, Kenya

Travel Stipend:

Travel stipends will be provided for selected applicants in need. Special consideration will be given for entrepreneurs headquartered outside of Kenya.

To learn more about our program online, click here.
To schedule an information session, please follow this link.

Or, apply now!

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: Africa Entrepreneurs, Village Capital

August 19, 2015

A Brand New Gospel Song Launches Online Instead of a Church Room

Stephen Boakye launches his maiden song.

Ghana is about to experience a Spirit filled gospel Music from a professional gospel new artist Kwaku Boakye on Sunday 30^th August, 2015 through the major media across the country and beyond.

Kwaku looks forward to using his talent to draw a lot of people to Jesus and help them through their struggles and also promises to use his talent desirably to contribute to the promotion of the everlasting true gospel music and the development of the Ghanaian music industry.

‘Okronkron’ as the title of the new song is sung in the Twi language and it’s accompanied by urban harmonic structures to give its final soothing nature. Both industrial and educational experts have given their utmost approval to the release of the song to bless audience with the taste of Christian music.

The music speaks about the holiness of Jehovah and also as the fortress, protector and the rock of the singer. It was recorded and mixed by Ray Michael at the New Creation Studio in Darkuman, and it invited awesome instrumentalists in the city of Accra.

Excellent for the great work in putting this life changing song together that will bring people to Christ. Good job and keep it up – Dr. Mawuyram Adjahoe

The music graduate and tutor of music is so pleased with what his creator is using him to do now and days to come. He is launching the single on Youtube instead of a physical church building because of his believe in technology as the strong medium to use to reach his audience. The song can be listened on his Youtube page here and on Sound Cloud here.

“I am so amazed by the works of Jehovah, His mercies and grace is more than enough in my life and I can say that he has blessed me with an awesome gift of writing, composing and singing abilities that go beyond what my imagination could hold”. He declared.

Kwaku has an absolute faith that ‘Okronkron’ and other subsequent tracks would have a greater impact in the Ghanaian gospel scene and also bless souls through worship and prayer.

For further information, contact Kwaku Boakye at (+233) 242115167/ 263142477.

By kofi Blog, Lifestyle No comments Tags: Ghana, Ghana Gospel, Kwaku Boakye, Stephen Boakye

August 10, 2015

HIRING – PROJECT MANAGER

Clean Team Ghana is an innovative social enterprise that provides an affordable, reliable solution to the problem of inadequate sanitation infrastructure in countries that are struggling to provide for the basic needs of their burgeoning urban populations. We work with the local population and tailor to their needs, providing employment and a sustainable business model along with our unique sanitation solution. Simple, empowering, effective.

About the Role

The Head of Projects is a Band B, Senior management position reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Responsibilities for planning, executing, and evaluating projects according to predetermined timelines and budgets while managing and building teams.

Become familiar with the company’s business model and brand to appreciate how projects will impact the business
Manage project development from initiation to closure
Be accountable for project results along with project team
Work with stakeholders to complete project charter, outlining scope, goals,deliverables, required resources, budget, and timing
Complete work breakdown structure to estimate effort required for each task
Provide and steward project schedule to identify when each task will be performed
Clearly communicate expectations to team members and stakeholders
Act as mediator between stakeholders and team members
Resolve any issues and solve problems throughout project life cycle
Effectively manage project scope by ensuring any changes to scope are documented, approved, and communicated to relevant parties
Determine if external consultants or contractors will be required to complete project plan; If required, recruit and manage appropriate staffing resources
Track and report on project milestones and provide status reports to the company’s CEO and stakeholders
Lead, coach, and motivate project team members on a proactive basis
Develop tools and best practices for project management and execution
Safely crash unsuccessful or re-prioritised projects
Ensure all project documents are safely archived following project completion
Responsible for providing updates and dashboards to the company’s CEO

Qualifications

Degree from a Tertiary Institution
Work experience in project management
Familiarity with project management tools and/or software packages
Experience working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment

Deadline: 31st August, 2015. Send CV to recruitment@cleanteamtoilets.com

By kofi Job No comments Tags: Ghana, Job, Project Manager

July 31, 2015

48-hour Business Design Bootcamp for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in Tamale

This August aspiring entrepreneurs and creative minds will be taking over Afrilead Ideation Center in Tamale for the maiden event of KickStart48. The organizers and volunteers of at Afrilead have been working behind the scenes to ensure that this event provides not only inspiration, but also the resources required for building and launching viable businesses.

Local CEOs, founders, and startup veterans will be on hand to provide expertise and give talks on their experiences in the fast-paced world of technology startups. In other words, there will be knowledgeable and successful entrepreneurs in attendance to inspire, share and help the teams throughout the weekend. The final day teams will have the opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of judges where real prizes and services can be won.

ABOUT KiCKSTART48

KickStart48 is an intense 48-hour business design bootcamp for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to develop their idea into working startup business within one weekend. We start on Friday with pitching ideas and forming teams with only one goal in mind – to bring new startups into life by Sunday. Kickstart48 is being organized in cities and campuses across Ghana and is open to young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years. And our goal is simple; to generate long-term impact by empowering aspiring young local entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge needed to create sustainable ventures.

ABOUT AFRILEAD

Based in Tamale, Ghana – we are learning partners to aspiring entrepreneurs. We specialize in developing and deploying innovative learning solutions that support aspiring entrepreneurs to learn effectively so they can succeed faster. Our mission is to re-define how learning looks like for startup entrepreneurs in Africa because we believe startup entrepreneurs learn differently.

For information about KickStart48, please contact our community organizer, Modesta Namusu at 0505784163 or info@afrileadinstitute.org.

By kofi Blog No comments

July 28, 2015

Appsafrica.com Innovation Awards 2015 open

The Appsafrica.com Innovation Awards 2015 celebrate the enormous growth in mobile, technology and entrepreneurship in Africa. Innovation knows no borders and Appsafrica.com welcomes applications from innovations launched in at least one African market, regardless of where in the world the venture actually started.

The awards will take place in Cape Town on Monday 16th November with key industry players from the African mobile ecosystem on the eve of AppsWorld and AfricaCom, Africa’s largest mobile and telecoms event. The awards have Pan-African support from leaders in mobile, tech and innovation including Mobile Monday South Africa, iHub Kenya, CcHub Nigeria, Think Rwanda, MEST Ghana, Kenya and Women In Tech Africa.

10 Categories

Appsafrica.com welcomes applications in 10 categories from ventures who can clearly demonstrate innovation using mobile or technology to meet the needs of any African market(s). These include

1. Best disruptive innovation

2. Best mobile innovation

3. Best non data mobile innovation (using SMS/USSD/ IVR)

4. Best African app

5. Best fintech innovation

6. Best health innovation

7. Best educational innovation

8. Social impact award

9. Best entertainment innovation

10. Women in tech award

Applications will be assessed by a team of expert judges who are selected based on their knowledge, influence and contribution to the improvement of technology and business in Africa. The deadline for entries is September 10th, 2015.

The Appsafrica.com Innovation Awards finalists will be announced in October 2015. Enter now or visit www.appsafrica.com for more details.

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: African Entrepreneurs, Changemakers, Innovation, social entrepreneurship, Start-ups

July 28, 2015

Lord Dr Michael Hastings of KPMG International to Speak at Future of Ghana Youth Leadership Forum 2015

The Future of Ghana Leadership Forum is Ghana’s annual youth training programme uniting Ghana’s most forward thinking, talented, pioneering young entrepreneurs and professionals aged 16-30 years.

The Leadership Forum will provide the future leaders with training and key note addresses from some of the worlds most established and renowned and respected thought leaders; some of which are:

Lord Michael Hastings, Baron Hastings of Scarisbrick, CBE, KPMG Global Head of Citzenship (UK)
Caleb Tamfu, Managing Director, Andron Engineering Ltd & Country Director, Africa 2.0 (Cameroon)
Sudhir John Horo, Director + Principal Designer IdeaWorks Design & Strategy Pvt. Ltd (India)
Romeo Effs, CEO of Aspyre Group Plc & Guest Lecturer at Cass Business School (UK)

The Leadership Forum will be hosted over a 3 day period in the scerne mountains of Accra, Ghana at one of Africa’s leading and most prestigious educational institutions cultivating the next generation of African leaders, Ashesi University. The Future of Ghana Leadership Forum – coined the Davos of Africa – will incubate attendees in a unique environment whilst providing a unique platform to learn, share and grow.

More information on how to register, click here

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: African Entrepreneurs, Changemakers, Ghana

July 24, 2015

The Africa Business Fellowship 2015 Applications Open

The Africa Business Fellowship is a partnership between Econet, African Leadership Network (ALN), and Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). The program will match young American business professionals with paid 6-month placements in African companies. Its purpose is to strengthen relationships between the African and American business communities and provide future American business leaders with the hands-on experience they need to truly understand business in Africa.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Educational and professional experience, including official transcript(s)
3 brief essay questions that help us understand your passions, skills and interests, as well as how the Fellowship ties to your career objectives
2 minute video response which allows our candidates to share more about themselves
Written professional reference(s) from employer or other professional who can speak to candidate’s leadership experience and potential

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

October 1, 2015: Round 1 (preferred) application deadline
November 9, 2015: Round 2 (final) application deadline

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

We are looking for innovative and driven professionals, with strong leadership potential, who have a deep passion for learning about and experiencing first-hand business in Africa and promoting America-Africa business relationships. The ideal candidate will have:

MBA and/or 5+ years of meaningful business experience
Track record of academic achievement and early professional success
Strong analytic and communication skills
Community-level leadership accomplishments
Personal traits that reflect their potential: humility, integrity, ability to engage others, and a long-term vision for their place in the world

The Fellowship is open to US citizens and permanent residents. There is no ethnicity requirement.

KEY DEADLINES

First Day to Submit Application July 23, 2015
Preferred (Round 1) Application Deadline October 1, 2015
Final (Round 2) Application Deadline November 9, 2015
Interviews November – December, 2015
Fellowships Offers Made February 2016
US Orientation June 2016
Travel to Respective Countries Immediately after US Orientation (June 2016)
In-Country Orientation & First Day at Work Few Days after Arrival
In-Country Retreat August 2016
ALN Annual Gathering & Return to US November 2016

Apply here – http://www.africabusinessfellowship.com/apply/

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: African Entrepreneurs, African Youth, Changemakers, entrepreneurship

June 29, 2015

Farmerline wins $50,000 at the Village Capital’s FinTech for Agriculture accelerator programme

Farmerline, one of Ghana’s most innovative startup has won yet another investment award worth $50,000. Farmerline’s CEO and co-founder, Alloysius Attah pitched the idea at the Village Capital’s FinTech for Agriculture accelerator programme in East Africa.

Village Capital, trains and invests in early-stage ventures solving major social problems across the world and had selected the startups for its three-month accelerator programme, which aims to unlock innovations that increase access to financial services for smallholder farmers.

The programme ended with a venture forum earlier this week, with participants ranking each other based on six criteria. Ghanaian startup Farmerline, which is expanding to East Africa and provides agricultural information to farmers, and Rwanda’s Atikus Insurance, which expands access to credit by increasing the capacity of MSME lenders via reimagined insurance and technology risk solutions, came out on top, winning US$50,000 investment each.

“We are proud to have partnered with the DOEN Foundation, the MasterCard Foundation, and Duncan Goldie-Scot to work with the best local entrepreneurs providing alternative financial services through their technology platforms,” said Ross Baird, executive director of Village Capital.

“We are excited about the positive impact that our entrepreneurs can have on improving the income of smallholder farmers–the backbone of the African economy–and eager to see our enterprises’ growth through communities across the continent.”

Eight other startups completed the programme, including Chamasoft, a web and mobile app to automate record keeping for investment groups, FarmDrive, which transforms how smallholder farmers access financial services, M-Shamba, an interactive platform for smallholder farmers and traders, and Mobipay, which provides tech solutions to various economic sectors to drive commerce and trade.

The rest of the cohort was made up of nanoCredit Technologies, which offers lending and de-risking engines,Mifugo.Trade, an online livestock marketing platform, Redcore Interactive, which has developed the remit.ugplatform for online international money transfers to mobile money in Africa, and YieldUganda, which sources high quality, traceable food products for local and export markets.

“One of the main reasons we support Village Capital is because of its unique peer selection technique. Therefore the organisation is able to create a pipeline of investments at a much lower cost than other parties and at the same time offers its participants an interesting network. In the end many more entrepreneurs with impact businesses can profit as well as the East African society as a whole,” said Nina Tellegen, chief executive officer (CEO) of the DOEN Foundation.

“I’m very pleased to be supporting these two companies. It has also been fascinating to see the progress of all the teams who have come through the programme over the past three months. They have all learnt so much, from the trainers, the mentors and each other,” said Goldie-Scot

Source: Disrupt Africa

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: Africa, African Entrepreneurs, Alloysius Attah, Ghana

June 29, 2015

Economic Ideas Festival 2015

The maiden edition of the Economic Ideas Festival (EIF) is set to take place from 5 – 7 August, 2015 in Accra, the capital of Ghana. Economic Ideas Festival is the annual global conference of the Young Professional Economists Network (YPEN) – www.ypenetwork.org. The conference is set to attract delegates aged between 18-35 years from over 30 countries across Africa and other parts of the world. The Young Professional Economists Network (YPEN) is a non-profit and an independent organization established to coordinate and train young professional economists across the world while helping them to build a new economic paradigm which is relevant to the 21st century and beyond.

The network has chapters in thirteen (13) countries across the world. At YPEN, our aim is to bring to the limelight the fundamental, but yet overlooked hard questions of economic inquiry, with the hope of sparking new and constructive ideas to tackle and address the many economic problems of today. In view of this,

we seek to bring together, young economic intellectuals across the world who embrace new economic thinking. Economic development around the world is more complicated than it is simply seen.

The main underlying trigger of this phenomena is the fact that, all through these years, different forms of economic policies and programmes have been adopted and implemented. With most of these policies and programmes having ended their tenures in the past years and some still being run, the glaring but often dodged question is ” are we getting the desired results?” Economic Ideas Festival is to help build the next generation of innovative thinkers to fulfill the dream of a transformed Africa.

The model of the EIF is structured to bring together new minds to interrogate economic growth, debate, as well as discuss how it could lead to economic transformation and reduction in poverty across Africa. EIF is focused on RE- THINKING and RE-EXAMINATION of existing practices, and RE-ESTABLISHMENT of new ideas that will cause Africa continue to rise and transform itself. Attending the conference is free yet delegates are responsible for their own accommodation and flights cost. To attend EIF 2015, register as a delegate online for free via www.ypenetwork.org/eif

By kofi Blog No comments Tags: Africa, African Entrepreneurs, Economic Ideas Festival, Economy of Ghana, Ghana

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There is no cost to apply and no program fee for chosen enterprises. We do not take equity up front for participation. The application deadline is September 7th, but early applicants will receive more attention from our selection panel.

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